Is this peat moss ok for geckos?

Question

I needed something for my female to lay in. Someone said peat moss is good, so I went to the store to get some and all they had was peat moss enriched with miracle grow. My questions is , will this have any ill effects on them? In theory I would think it wouldnt because my grandpaw always uses it to grow his vegetables and I eat the tomatoes grown from miracle grow...

Answer 1

Do not use this with your gecko.  Fertilizers contain chemicals, such as heavy metals and phosphorous,  that can be harmful or even fatal to animals, especially if the animals are exposed to them for prolonged periods of time or in large amounts like your gecko would be.  The symptoms might not be obvious right away, but with prolonged exposure, you will encounter problems.

The reason the fertilizer your grandfather used wasn't harmful to him is because the plant only uses the fertilizer for growth.  By the time it gets into the tomato, it's no longer the same compound.  The plant has broken it down and used it for other things.  Most fertilizers for vegetables eaten by humans have a warning stating that they should not be applied within a certain number of days before harvesting.  This is to reduce the likelihood of fertilizer residue being on the vegetables.  In very small amounts those residues aren't dangerous, but in larger amounts, like that to which you would be exposing your gecko, they are poisonous.

Hope this helps.